Actions, Articles, and Statements on Sagamihara, Japan

This is a compilation of actions to take, such as vigil-attending, articles, and statements on the murder of 19 disabled residents and injury of 26 more at an institution for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (Tsukui Yamayuri En) in Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan. We do not know their names because there is a refusal to release them. The reasoning behind this is that families do not want to have them named as people with disabilities.

Filed under eugenics as well as ableism and disability because killer held eugenics ideals.

Last updated August 19, 2016.

VIGILS FOR SAGAMIHARA

None upcoming that I have located

ARTICLES I HAVE LOCATED ON SAGAMIHARA BY DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATES

• Statement to Protest Knife Killing of People with Disabilities in Sagamihara, Japan by DPI-Japan of Disabled Peoples’ International Asia-Pacific Region (link is to image of statement; transcription below).

BEGIN TRANSCRIPTION.

“Japan National Assembly of Disabled People’s International (DPI-Japan)

office@dpi-japan.org

URL: http://www.dpi-japan.org

Statement to Protest Knife Killing of People with Disabilities Sagamihara, JAPAN

Midori Hirano

Chairperson, DPI-JAPAN

We, DPI-JAPAN, work with cross-disability populations to advocate for society where people with and without disabilities can live equally. DPI-JAPAN is the organization of people with disabilities and has 91 affiliates across Japan.

The tragedy of the knife killing occurred on July 26, 2016, at institution for persons with disabilities in Sagamihara city. We express our deepest condolences to the victims who lost their lives and sympathy to those who were injured.

Many details were unclear till further investigation. However, some media reported that the suspect entered the institution during the midnight and attacked. There was also a report that the suspect was saying that “It is better OFF without people with disabilities” to the Kanagawa Police investigation. If this was true, the act is purely caused by the eugenics that questions the existence of persons with disabilities and other minority groups. We, DPI-JAPAN, reaffirm our commitment to fight against eugenics with great anger and grief.

During recent years, there are increased incidents of hate crime and hate speech against persons with disabilities and other minority groups. This particular incident should not be overlooked. Now, more than ever, the need to create a society which does not allow hate crime or hate speech.

Since the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2014 and the effectuation of the Act for Eliminating Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities in April this year, there have been many efforts put in to create inclusive society that does not divide people whether having disability or not.

We will commit ourselves without falter to ensuring the life and dignity of persons with disabilities are protected and to be able to exercise their rights.

Lastly, there were some media reporting of history of hospitalization of the suspect. However, we request media to refrain from reporting the unconfirmed facts which only increase prejudice and prejudgment.”

END TRANSCRIPTION.

• Inclusion International statement
• Inclusion Japan statement (must download)
• couragetobe on Tumblr’s take
• Ableism is not “bad words.” It’s violence. by Lydia Brown
• Ableism, Violence, & Sagamihara by Alice Wong
• Why did the mass murder of 19 disabled people barely rate? By Carly Findlay
• ADA 26 and a Massacre on the Other Side of the World by Larkin Taylor-Parker
• Your ableism is killing me by a Heart Made Fullmetal
• Japan, Hate, and 12 Days by Dave Hingsburger
• Ableism is Deadly: Mass Murder in Japan by Bad Cripple
• Violence, Disability, and the Lessons of Sagamihara by David Perry
• Here’s the thing about about the mass murder of disabled people in Sagamihara, Japan, today by tumblr user aegipanomnicorn
• This is What Disability Erasure Looks Like by Emily Willingham
• Erasure by Elizabeth Aquino
• Annie Elainey (Annie Segarra) (Text post); Annie Elainey (Annie Segarra) (Video)  
• Disability Hate Leads to Mass Murder in Japan by Philippa Willitts
• Say Their Names by Suzanne Kamata
• Not Dead Yet statement
• NCIL Statement of Solidarity with Japan
• The Sagamihara Massacre was a Hate Crime and We Need to Talk About It by Kathleen Downes
• Remembering the Sagamihara 19 by David Perry (includes interviews with Japanese activists)
• Rooted in Rights Storytellers: The Sagamihara 19 had lives worth living with Mizuki Hsu (video)